U.S. Pat. Pat. Nos. 4,578,103 Fackelman and 4,615,724 Fackelman disclose glass sheet forming wherein a heated glass sheet is suspended by a topside support device at a downwardly facing surface thereof by providing a vacuum and pressurized air to the surface. This suspension of the heated glass sheet is without any contact between the upper surface of the glass sheet and the downwardly facing surface of the topside support device such that it is possible for the upper glass sheet surface to be painted without marring the paint as would take place with such contact. Fixed stops are disclosed on the downwardly facing surface of the topside support device to provide location of the glass sheet prior to being released by termination of the vacuum so as to drop downwardly onto a mold for the forming. Such fixed stops are not capable of slowly decelerating the glass sheet as it is moved into the proper location for registration with the mold for the forming upon being released from the topside support device by termination of the vacuum supplied to the downwardly facing surface. Both the vacuum and the pressurized air are disclosed as being provided through associated passages defined in a sinter bonded fused silica block that defines the downwardly facing surface and has good resistance to thermal warpage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,599 McMaster et al discloses another topside support device having a high temperature metal plate construction for suspending a heated glass sheet by providing pressurized gas and a vacuum to a downwardly facing surface like the fused silica block type topside support device.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,775,404 Klempner et al: and 5,090,989 Adoline disclose mold mounted locators for locating a heated glass sheet on the downwardly facing surface of a topside support device such that termination of the vacuum supplied to the device allows the suspended glass sheet to drop onto the mold for forming.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,321 Kramer et al discloses glass sheet locators mounted on a topside support device and having longitudinal and transverse actuators for providing longitudinal and transverse movement that positions the glass sheet on the downwardly facing surface of the device in preparation for being released onto a lower mold for forming.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,478 Kramer et al discloses an air hearth conveyor that is inclined downwardly along the direction of conveyance and includes a pair of continuous chains at each side of the conveyor for moving restraining bars that restrain the glass sheet movement under the force of gravity.